The Emperor's Hand
by Magician of Megiddo
Summary: A lone Raven, stranded in the Antarctic region, finds a supply base where he can restock. However, what he encounters is not what he expected....
1. Hell's Grave

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE AC SERIES, AND I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS IN THE FIC (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE EMPEROR AND HIS AC, ALONG WITH A FEW PARTS OF IT.)**

**EVERYTHING ELSE BELONGS TO THEIR RESPECTIVE CREATORS.**

**THIS HAPPENS AFTER THE EVENTS OF ACLR, BUT THERE ARE A FEW TWISTS (SOME OF THE PULVERIZERS STILL SURVIVING AFTER THE WAR ENDED, ETC.)**

"**The Emperor's Hand"**

**Chapter 1: Hell's Grave**

_It has been 2 years since the Internecine War ended._

_At the aftermath of the battle, many were slain, and the world had been torn between the Alliance, who were logistically superior to any other power at the time, and the organization known as Vertex, who relied more on their skilled Raven pilots to do their work._

_The remnants of the war-torn realm were controlled by other Ravens that became independent warlords, hiring others of their kind to sabotage the actions of both Alliance and Vertex forces._

_Those few Ravens who were lucky enough to survive the war started to work for either the Alliance or Vertex, depending on their payments from accomplishing missions to sustain themselves in life._

_The Raven known only as "Emperor," however, remained hidden from the rest of the world._

_A bounty was raised on his head during the Internecine War, and ever since, countless Ravens had set their sights on his bounty, but he proved to be an elusive opponent, foiling their efforts._

_Rumours had also circulated that, at his secret base in Antarctica, he was developing new AC equipment to use as an "ultimate weapon" of sorts, one that would bring both the Alliance and Vertex to his knees._

_Many have come to challenge him, but all have failed._

_Here is the story of one of those unlucky individuals to have earned his full ire, and also one of the few to tell of the tale._

_08:00 hours, Antarctica_

"_And here I thought this was going to be easy," muttered the pilot of the AC known as Halimaw._

_He had fought in many battles during the War, and was one of its few survivors._

_But nothing could prepare him for his next encounter with death…_

"_And here I thought this mission would be easy," the pilot thought to himself, "but things just never seem to go my way…"_

_Suddenly, an object appeared on his radar screen._

"_What the hell?" he exclaimed. "A contact this far south? Show me the visual, now!"_

_Another monitor glared to life, and the visual of the sight alone seemed to __instill__ fear into his very soul._

_The monitor showed a gargantuan research complex, its purposes unknown, but its origins certain._

_This was the Raven outpost and AC garage known only as "Hell's Grave."_

_Many Ravens had heard of stories __about the existence of this outpost, saying that it was the research outpost and personal AC hangar of the Raven known as "Emperor," and that his most secretive and revolutionary project for new AC weapons was started here._

_If those stories were indeed true, then it could be a great place to restock his AC's ammo stores._

"_It's amazing how the Unmanned Suicide Weapons and __Pulverizers__ missed this outpost," the pilot said. "Maybe the occupants already moved on and left their ACs, parts and ammo behind…"_

_With this knowledge, he shifted Halimaw's boosters to full burn on a course to Hell's Grave's AC hangar entrance._

_Meanwhile…_

_08:15 hours, Antarctica outpost and AC garage "Hell's Grave," Primary Command and Control Center, Floor 30_

"_Sir, we have a problem…," mused a man dressed in a black suit, staring intently at a recent radar screen photo, several klaxons blaring in the background._

"_Yes?" replied another man sitting casually at the __center's__ dining table, munching on a piece of steak that he himself had cooked a few minutes earlier. "What is it, brother? I was actually starting to enjoy my meal."_

"_The radar appears to have picked up a transient contact within the proximity of the base," answered the man who was still staring at the radar screen. "Sensors show it to be at 5 __kilometers__ and closing."_

"_Is it an AC or a Pulverizer?" questioned the Raven, still eating his meal._

"_By looking at the electrical signals emanating from it, I assume it to be an AC, sir," the communications officer replied. "The AC in question appears to be harbouring purely solid shell-based weaponry, mainly a linear rifle and bazooka, making a close-range battle unsuitable, to say the least. Other than that, it is equipped with a multi missile pack and a micro-missile pack, making a mid range battle with it difficult, but not impossible."_

"_Interesting," the Raven mused, tones of sarcasm hanging in his deep, tenor-like voice. "Very interesting, indeed…"_

"_What shall we do, brother?" inquired the communications officer, worried that his brother may have finally snapped after 4 years of confinement in the frozen wasteland they came to know as home._

"_We shall let him see the culmination of 10 years of the research that we have spurned. He shall be the first to bear witness to the result of all our hard work. He shall be the first to feel the power of the Black Dragon in full force!" the Raven exclaimed with such temerity as if his words alone could already make his victory a reality. "Ready it in the hangar. I'm heading there right now._

_And with that, his intimidating form disappeared into the shadows of the ominous-looking command and control center._

"_Oh crap," the comm. officer muttered. "This is most probably going to end up in a mess. I just know it."_

_Author's Note- And so ends chapter 1 of this fic. Stand by for more coming up soon._


	2. To A Hollow Mind

**Chapter 2: To A Hollow Mind**

_08:17 hours, Antarctica, 15 __kilometers__ from secret Raven outpost "Hell's Grave"_

"_Sweet!" thought the pilot of the AC, Halimaw. "Just a few more kilometers and I can finally restock! I just hope that the base isn't occupied..."_

_During his time of wishful thinking, he had neglected to check his sensor screens, which were now detecting the now-opening doors of several MT hangars from the surface of the earth itself._

_Disturbed with the incessant beeping of his sensors, the pilot then decides to take a look at the screen, only to find increasing numbers of..._

"_STARLING MTs!" exclaimed the pilot. "Well, well... I guess that the creators of this outpost actually thought that someone would try to breach their __defenses__. Now it's time to prove them right!"_

_With that final statement, he activated the boosters on his AC to direct him to the increasing horde of MTs now gathering before him like a feast spread on a dinner table._

_08:20 hours, Antarctica outpost and AC garage "Hell's Grave," AC hangar, Floor 1_

"_It should have been ready by now," spoke the Emperor, who was now waiting at the foot of the bridge that led to the AC's cockpit._

_Except there was one problem: there was no sight of his AC._

_Or any other AC, for that matter._

"_Brother, what is going on?" inquired the now-furious Emperor, angered at the sight of his beloved ACs._

"_That's because they're on the other hangar, brother," replied the comm. officer, who was laughing at his brother's predicament. "That's my AC hangar."_

_The Emperor, confused at the last statement, now checked for proof of his brother's reply. Eventually, he found a sign that read:_

_THIS AC HANGAR IS FOR COMM. OFFICERS ONLY_

"_Oops..." muttered the Emperor, humiliated by his own, apparently rusty, sense of direction._

"_Oh, man," told the comm. officer. "You know, bro, you should really get a pair of reading glasses, not to mention a map of the outpost."_

"_So, where is my AC hangar, then?" inquired the Emperor._

"_Turn back, go across the hallway, and then go right at the 2__nd__ intersection," replied the comm. officer, feeling like less of being an integral piece of the outpost and feeling more like a tour guide._

"_Thank you, brother," answered the Emperor, grateful that he was not alone in the outpost, and then headed off to his hangar._

_08:25 hours, Antarctica, 5 kilometers from secret Raven outpost "Hell's Grave"_

"_I can't keep this up for much longer," thought the pilot of the AC, Halimaw. His ammo counters on both the RL and BP were steadily dropping, and if there were ACs in the area, or in the outpost, then he probably wouldn't stand a chance._

_For him, this was probably a suicide run._

"_There has to be a way to get rid of these things," he thought. "I'm starting to run out..."_

_Then, as if God had answered his prayers, something short of miraculous happened._

_The MTs were retreating._

_He sighed with relief, happy that the onslaught was over._

_Unfortunately, it had only just begun..._

_08:34 hours, Antarctica outpost and AC garage "Hell's Grave," Ex. AC Hangar, Floor 1_

"_Finally," the Emperor muttered, happy that he had finally arrived at the correct hangar._

_And happy he was, for standing before him was an engine of destruction that could have made the powerful Pulverizers wish that they had never been created._

_The looks of the AC alone would have discouraged most opponents from facing it head-on without energy weapons in tow, but even they found this AC to be near indomitable, nonetheless. Other than the twin KRSWs that were the main offensive weapons of the AC, there were strange weapons on the back mounts._

_They were shaped like a normal LX laser cannon barrel, except for one thing; they had enormous globes attached to the back of the cannons themselves._

"_Let's see the intruder deal with the Black Dragon up close," the Emperor muttered._

_With that statement in mind, he then went to the bridge of the hangar, jumped into the AC's cockpit, and began the preliminary system activation sequences._

"_Brother," the Emperor spoke through his earpiece microphone, "I hope the BDCs are ready for a test run."_

"_Do not worry," replied the comm. officer. "I personally checked the BDC weapon systems, and I have done about 200 virtual test-firings trouble-free. I'm sure they will work well."_

"_I hope you are right," the Emperor answered back. "I have to trust you on this decision."_

_A few seconds later, the preliminary checkups were complete, and the AC was ready to again __fulfill__ its secondary purpose: to defend the outpost and destroy trespassers._

"_This is Emperor in AC Black Dragon, moving out," he spoke through his earpiece microphone._

_And with that, the AC departed from the gargantuan hangar doors separating it from its prey._

_This would be its 13__th__ kill._

_Author's Note: Well, this ends Chap. 2 of the fic._


	3. The Destroyer Cometh

**Chapter 3: The Destroyer Cometh**

_08:45 hours, Antarctica, 3 __kilometers__ from secret Raven outpost "Hell's Grave", inside cockpit of AC Halimaw_

"_At least those MTs are gone," thought the pilot. "I'm starting to run out of ammo..."_

_Then, he heard another ping on the radar._

_Fate definitely had a strange sense of __humor_

"_Oh well...," he muttered. "As long as it's the final one..."_

_With that hopeful statement in mind, he set his AC's thrusters to full burn, on a direct course with the most powerful opponent he would ever face._

_His survival, however, was never set in stone._

_08:47 hours, 5 __kilometers__ from secret Raven outpost "Hell's Grave", inside cockpit of AC Black Dragon_

"_And here I thought this fool would actually be a challenge," spoke the Emperor, his half-tenor voice ringing clear throughout the cockpit. "Let's see how he likes his AC: rare or extra-crispy."_

"_Bro," spoke the comm. officer, "we have a problem."_

"_Now," replied the Emperor, "what would that problem be?"_

"_It's that AC," answered the comm. officer. "He still hasn't used the missile packs on the back. Maybe this battle was a bad idea..."_

"_Are you implying that I could actually lose this battle?" asked the Emperor, worried that his brother was losing faith in him._

"_No," replied the comm. officer. "I'm just saying that facing him now may be a bad idea. The BDCs could fail, they could explode... We just don't know what could happen..."_

"_Then we'll just have to have faith, then," replied the Emperor._

_Shifting his AC's boosters to full burn, he approached his opponent with such frightening celerity that the very ground surrounding his AC seemed to tremble with extreme trepidation._

_08:51 hours, 6 __kilometers__ from secret Raven outpost "Hell's Grave", inside cockpit of AC Halimaw_

"_I need a primary weapons scan on that AC, now!" ordered the pilot._

_Twenty seconds later, a disembodied female voice boomed out of the 2 speakers at the front of the cockpit._

"_Enemy AC is armed with several energy weapons," the voice spoke. "Unknown weapons are also detected, but are presumed to be antimatter-based weapons."_

"_Oh, crap," muttered the pilot. "Guess this battle is going to be harder than I thought..."_

_All surviving Ravens after the Internecine War were briefed by both sides about what new weapons they could face on the battlefield. They had covered almost everything...except for antimatter weaponry._

_Antimatter was basically an AC's worst nightmare. It bypassed all types of shielding, had no defense that could counteract it, and disintegrated anything it touched._

_This technology turned out to be developed by the Raven known as"Emperor," who then gave the idea and initial designs to Crest Industries, releasing it as the CR-06BDC, an incredibly powerful, yet unstable, weapon of mass AC destruction._

"_I'm going to have to end this quickly, then," he thought. "With all the damage this baby suffered, I can't let even one laser blast hit."_

"_Enemy is at a distance of 2 __kilometers__ and closing. Charging of antimatter weapon is also detected. Evasive __maneuvers__ must be taken to prevent AC destruction," the AI spoke._

"_Then it's time to end this," replied the pilot. "Activate the HYDRA missile pack and the relation missile extensions," he ordered the AI._

_Outside the cockpit of AC Halimaw, the opposing AC had already charged the powerful antimatter cannon on its left back mount when it fired... straight on a collision course with the HYDRA missile pack._

_Back inside, a monitor started to flash these words._

_WARNING. WARNING. ANTIMATTER PROJECTILE INBOUND. EVASIVE ACTION IS MANDATORY._

"_Oh, he's fast," spoke the pilot, "but let's see him deal with this. Lock-on established. Commence missile launch sequence."_

_A single flare then shot out of the AC's HYDRA missile pack, the relation missiles following suit._

_And just in time as well, because the white antimatter laser beam was only 200 feet away... before it slammed into the HYDRA missile pack, subjecting the weapon to oblivion, then crashing into a nearby iceberg, resulting in a blinding flash of light emanating from the impact point, swelling bigger and bigger._

"_What the hell?" he thought. "There's no way that this technology should--"_

_His train of thought was soon cut off by the powerful shockwave spreading from the ivory ball before imploding upon itself, vanishing into oblivion along with the iceberg, his missile pack, and his hopes of getting out alive._

_Author's Note: Now that this chapter is finished, I better talk about the new weapon introduced in this chapter: antimatter-based weaponry._

_Basically, antimatter is, by far, the most dangerous substance on the planet, yet it only comprises less than 1 percent of the universe._

_A single droplet of it could power New York for an entire day at full spec._

_However, there is a catch: antimatter is extremely unstable. It's even more unstable than most of the synthesized elements on the Periodic Table._

_When it comes in contact with normal matter (i.e. air, lava, rocks, plastic, people), it begins annihilation, resulting in a massive release of energy, disintegrating anything unlucky enough to be close to it. The actual diameter of the blast depends on the amount exposed. Case in point: a single gram has the power of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima._

_Side effects of being near the blast (if you're lucky enough to not get pressed unto oblivion) include:_

_Severe concussion and heavy internal bleeding (shockwave effect)_

_Exposure to radiation (blast effect)_

_Temporary or permanent blindness (light from the blast)_

_Methods of producing it are very limited, however._


	4. The Witness to Armageddon

**Chapter 4: The Witness to Armageddon**

"_Dust swirled overhead as people huddled...witnesses to Armageddon."_

_-Dan Brown, __Angels and Demons_

_08:55 hours, 4 __kilometers__ away from secret Raven outpost "Hell's Grave, inside cockpit of AC __Halimaw_

"_What the hell just happened?" thought the pilot, apparently traumatized by the gravity of his current predicament, his flesh pale, still in shock from witnessing such power._

_The STARLING MTs that he had faced a few minutes ago were like a walk in the park for him and his engine of destruction._

_A few minutes ago, he thought this would be the easiest mission to accomplish._

_Now, after seeing firsthand the power that his bounty possessed, his mind was nary but putty before the hands of trepidation._

_His AC wasn't looking too good, either._

_Several scorch marks could be seen where the ivory beam passed over the AC's left shoulder. The reinforced pivots that supported the HYDRA missile pack had melted away, leaving a jagged stump of molten steel in its place._

_Behind the AC, the iceberg that the beam collided with had vanished, leaving behind a vast crater marking its passing._

_He was now a witness to Armageddon._

_Still trembling, he aimed his AC's bazooka and linear rifle at his opponent._

_His opponent would pay for the loss of his missile pack with his life._

_08:57 hours, 3.2 kilometers from secret Raven outpost "Hell's Grave," inside cockpit of AC Black Dragon_

"_With his multi-missile pack gone, maybe I can finally breathe easy...," thought the Emperor, unaware that the missile fired by the HYDRA missile pack was now heading straight for him._

_Outside, the multi-missile split into 4, accompanying the relation missiles on their flight of retribution._

_With the Emperor's AC remaining stationary, he would stand no chance of dodging those missiles in time._

_Inside the cockpit, a warning started to boom out of the 2 speakers positioned beside both flanks of the central monitor. The central monitor also read in large red letters:_

_AERIAL MULTIPLE-VECTOR STRIKE IS IMMINENT. EVASIVE MANEUVERS ARE A RECOMMENDED COURSE OF ACTION._

"_Oh, really," he spoke. "It's time to use those decoy dispensers."_

_Multiple orbs started to shoot out of his AC's arms, diverting the missiles to them._

_They worked, but failed to divert 2 of the 6 incoming missiles, the remainder colliding into the decoys._

"_Stray missiles have been detected," the AC's surveillance AI spoke. "Permission to activate core AMS."_

"_Permission granted," replied the Emperor. "As long as those missiles don't hit, all necessary actions must be taken. Activate the BDC and lower the targeting sights."_

"_Affirmative," the AI responded. "Core AMS has been activated."_

_With that, the quad guns on the CR-C83UA core whirred to life and shot down the last traces of the multi-missile barrage._

_During all this commotion, the BDC antimatter cannon had finished the annihilation sequence, its barrel glowing white, ready to release its powerful ivory lance once more._

_With the targeting sight lowered, the Emperor started to establish a lock on Halimaw. Meanwhile, his left arm KRSW hi laser rifle fired continuously at the AC's heavily __armored__ frame, preventing it from establishing a lock of its own._

_09:02 hours, 2.7 kilometers from secret Raven outpost "Hell's Grave," inside cockpit of AC Halimaw, closing distance towards AC Black Dragon_

"_I can't keep this up for much longer," spoke the pilot. "He's starting to wear me down..."_

_His AC was starting to belch smoke in several areas, mostly as a result of the multiple KRSW rounds impacting on its framework. Even though his AC was built to have high energy defense, this was simply too much for it to handle._

_He had to get out of here, and fast..._

_Suddenly, the surveillance AI began to speak, its voice icy in tone._

_But, this time, it was more icy than usual._

"_Powerful energy signature detected," the AI droned on. "Cannot identify."_

"_Oh, great," the pilot muttered. "Now, I also have a Pulverizer to deal with."_

_The incoming Pulverizer, fortunately, was a tank. The tanks were the least armored of the monstrosities._

_The significant threat it posed to his AC, however, could not be denied._

_09:10 hours, 3.5 kilometers from secret Raven outpost "Hell's Grave," inside cockpit of AC Black Dragon_

"_Great," the Emperor muttered. "Just when things were starting to get fun..."_

"_Brother?" the comm. officer asked. "Are you okay there? You were silent for the last few minutes."_

"_We may have a setback," he replied. "Keep all signals in the outpost on stealth mode. We have a Pulverizer in the area."_

"_Roger that," the comm. officer replied. "Give them hell. Over and out."_

"_Time to end this," he spoke, and turned his AC to face the Pulverizer, with the antimatter cannon ready to fire._

_After establishing a lock, he fired._

_Another ivory beam emerged from the barrel, except this one was different._

_It was larger than the previous beam fired at Halimaw's missile pack._

_The Emperor had overcharged the weapon._

_Normally, when energy weapons were used for an AC, such as the energy sniper rifles and various laser rifles, it was not possible to use extra energy to infuse the first shot with more power._

_But, with the advent of the CR-06BDC, it was now possible to overcharge energy weapons._

_Basically, the trigger button for the annihilation sequence's initialization would be pressed twice, yielding twice the power of a regular BDC shot._

_Unfortunately, its inherent instability when it came to heat became even worse when overcharged, and it usually resulted in massive damage and ionization of the energy __channeling__ device integrated into the barrel._

_The ivory lance crashed dead __center__ into the core of the Pulverizer's torso._

_The resulting energy ball began to grow and grow, consuming the Pulverizer until no trace of it could be seen within the glowing sphere, virtually invisible against the snow of Antarctica's landscape._

_Then, it stabilized, and a second sun shone before the pilot of Halimaw._

_Suddenly, a gargantuan shockwave emanated from the orb, knocking Halimaw off its feet, crashing a few meters away, while the ball began to shrink, eventually vanishing from existence._

"_Now," spoke the Emperor, "it's time to get rid of you."_

_Aiming the BDC at Halimaw, he triggered the annihilation sequence, preparing to wipe another Raven from existence._

_To be continued..._

_Author's Note: Well, guess you now know where I got the antimatter idea from..._


End file.
